


Until all Eternity

by Jumeyle



Category: AU - Fandom, The Avengers (2012), Thor (2011), War Horse (2011)
Genre: Loki was not the villain in The Avengers, M/M, Post Avengers (Movie), Post Thor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-08-04
Updated: 2012-09-14
Packaged: 2017-11-11 09:22:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/477024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jumeyle/pseuds/Jumeyle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Loki falls from the Rainbow Bridge in Thor, his older brother is constantly searching for him. After getting the Tesseract back and with a little help from Tony Stark, Thor manages to find the right time and place. But Loki isn't the Loki he once knew.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this lovely gif-set: http://vforvet.tumblr.com/post/20223545127/au-in-which-loki-fell-into-midgard-and-lost-his
> 
> English is not my first language and so I think there will be a lot of mistakes - nevertheless I hope you can enjoy the story!

_He fell._

_He did not know why or for how long, but time did not seem to be important...neither the reason._

_It was cold._

_But the cold did not bother him either. He could go on falling forever._

 

_Forever_

_Forever … to remain in solitude_

Shocked, Captain James Nicholls tore his eyes open and put a hand on his throat. He was panting uncontrollably and he felt as though could not get enough air to breathe. He sat up and looked around, confused. It took him several seconds to arrange his thoughts and calm down. Hastily, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. This dream he had recently almost every night. A little dazed, he put one foot in front on the other on the floor and stood up from his bed. With both hands he combed through his hair and took a deep breath. Since he had received the news of an imminent outbreak of war, he had to be in constant readiness. The stress was propably the reason for these strange dreams which plagued him every night. Rarely had he passed a night in which he didn’t wake up sweating and gasping for air. James took a few steps past his bed and opened the window in order to ventilate the small and stuffy room. Sighing, he leaned out of the window. No one was on the training ground this early in the morning. The fresh morning breeze cooled his sweaty body, and James closed his eyes.

 

 

The square of the village was crowded. Everywhere there were families weeping for their sons, husbands, and the young men who subscribed themselves to the military. A little further into the center of the square, there were farmers who came with their horses in order to sell them to the soldiers. Together with Sergeant Perkins, Captain Nicholls had come to this village in order to finally buy a horse. He was one of the few that still had none.

"What do your discerning eyes see Perkins? Have you found a suitable horse yet? "

"Sir, I do not want to sound brash, but I do not think you can afford a selection. Even Major Stewart has bought his horse yesterday. You have no choice, as this will be the last village before our departure. "

"Thank you, Perkins. Nevertheless, I want you to pick the best horse for me. "

"Sir, yes sir!"

While Sergeant Perkins diligently went about his work, James had enough time to look around. The young men who volunteered for military service had a smile on their faces and joked about how they would defeat the German soldiers with ease. James shook his head. He hated the war. Many of these young men would not get back to their families. He let his gaze aimlessly wander further through the crowd and saw a young, tall man with shoulder-length blond hair. As if struck by lightning, he felt a strong stinging in his chest and he suddenly felt very dizzy.

_"War and fighting does not suit you. But do not worry, I'll protect you. "_

_"Whatever I have done to wrong you… whatever I have done to lead you to do this. I am truly sorry. But these people are innocent. Taking their lives will gain you nothing, so take mine and end this. "_

If it had not been for the wall behind James, he would certainly have fallen to the ground. Panting, he leaned against the building and put his hand to his chest. What was happening to him? Perhaps a memory of his childhood? James was suffering from memory loss. No one except his friend and superior Major Stewart was aware of his amnesia. James knew that amnesia was not something for which one should be ashamed of. Yet, he did his best to avoid talking about his past precisely for this reason. Every time he remembered something of his past he got dizzy and heard voices in his head that were strangely familiar. Most frequently, it was the voice of a young man who James sometimes saw blurry in his dreams. When James was dreaming of him, he did not wake up in the morning in a cold sweat but felt a severe pain in his chest. His eyes would be red and swollen and his pillow wet with tears.

"Captain Nicholls, Sir! I think I've found the right one! "

James took a deep breath and looked one last time in the direction he had seen the young man, but he was no longer there. James stood up straight, checked whether his uniform was neat, and then made his way to Perkins.

"Everything all right, sir? You look a little pale."

"Don’t mind me, how is the horse Perkins?"

"Yes, of course, sir. Good hooves, good teeth, he’s healthy as a fish in the water! "

Perkins took a step backwards so that his Captain was able to look at the horse. It was a little small, but his eyes and fur shone and he had a muscular physique. James circled around the horse once and then turned to the older man who stood motionless beside the animal.

"How much are you charging for this strong, intelligent, and beautiful animal?"

"40."

"I'll give you 20 and not a penny more."

"20 is of no use to me, captain. 35 and he is yours. "

"I do not even know if he can ride."

"He is good to ride I’ll guarantee you. You will be amazed how fast he is. He is the best horse in the whole of Devon. I've never seen a better one. "

James looked the older man deep into his eyes. He knew that the man was not lying to him, James sighed. If only he could, he would give this farmer much more money. James insisted on his last bid of 30 guineas, and with a heavy heart the old man gave in. James gave him the money and they shook hands. Finally, he had a wonderful horse. He gave Perkins a hand signal and was about to say goodbye to the man, when suddenly a boy came running to them with tear-filled eyes.

"Don’t do it, you can’t do it. He's mine, I ... I've trained him. "

"Albert."

"You can’t have him because he belongs to me, sir!"

"You come too late. I just paid 30 guineas for him. "

"Please, I will get you the money. I- I will work for it! "

James looked at the two men. The boy seemed to be the son of the old man, and the horse, which he had just purchased, was probably sold without his consent. James sighed again softly. A family drama which he had not expected, he wanted to have nothing to do with it. After the quarrel with his father, the boy stood by the side of the brown horse and told the Captain with tears in his eyes that his horse would listen to no one but him. Furthermore, he would not be good for the war because he was too shy. James shook his head. As much as he had pity on the boy, the impending war was more important than anything else.

"I'm sorry."

"When Joey goes, then I go too. I volunteer, sir. "

"All right, what's your name boy?”

"Albert, sir."

"And how old are yo-."

"19, sir!"

"Is that true?"

"No sir, but… but I do look 19. I am taller than most 19 year olds, and I am strong, sir. "

"I do not doubt your skills Albert, but the law is very clear on the age of recruits and your father has done what he had to do. I know that 30 guineas, of course, are not nearly enough for such a special horse like your Joey’s. But that is all the money I have with me right now. Would you lend him to me, Albert, to be my personal mount? I promise you, man to man, that I will care for him as well as you have. And if I can, I'll bring him back to you. But now, say goodbye. "

James put on his cap, which he had taken off during the course of the conversation, nodding to the now crying boy. He regretted that he had to take away his horse, but war was war and he did not have the time to discuss with him. He turned and walked towards his car, without looking back once. 


	2. Chapter 2

When James and his company returned to the barracks, it was already late in the afternoon and there was a lot of activity on the site. Every soldier of the cavalry had a horse now and while the soldiers took care of their own animals, Joey was taken to a stable master. It was a hot day and James gave his cap to a soldier while he told Perkins to be a little more careful while tending Joey. James took the halter in his hand and patted Joey on the forehead. He was indeed a beautiful horse.

 

_"Finally you also get your own horse! Now the two of us can go searching after adventure! These are indeed great news!"_

"I get goose bumps every time I see him."

"Hmm, what - who?"

"Perkins. I'm glad he's on our side. "

 

James briefly shook his head. The cheerful voice of Lieutenant Charlie Waverly tore him away from his thoughts. Once again he heard this strange but at the same time so familiar voice in his head. Why did this happen so frequently now and even in broad daylight? The lieutenant grinned at him. James got very well along with him and Charlie’s friendly and cheerful disposition was usually quite catching. Nevertheless, James still had not considered it necessary to tell him about his amnesia. He turned his gaze to Joey again and stroked his neck.

 

"Not bad. Not bad indeed. Nevertheless, nothing against my Topthorn. "

"I would not be so sure. I think he has plenty to offer. "

"Nonsense!"

 

Smiling, James took his cap back again and followed Major Jamie Stewart together with the other soldiers. The Major has always been a proud and a little conceited man. James had known him since his military training and before his memory loss. For this reason, Stewart was the only one who knew about his amnesia. His first meeting with Stewart, after James lost his memory, was pretty uncomfortable and embarrassing but the Major just took it with black humor and supported James as best as he could.

 

"Well, gentlemen, listen up. The first attack always has to be the decisive one. Perkins, no errors. Tomorrow I want to see a complete practice attack. Captain, a word. The rest, dismissed! "

 

James saluted the Lieutenant and then turned back to the Major. Jamie looked serious at him and laid a hand on James's shoulder. James smiled uncertainly. He knew what was coming.

 

"I have observed you a little while ago. You don’t look very well. "

"Thank you for your concern but I’m alright. I'm fine. "

"I'll see you tomorrow then. Take the rest of the day off and go to bed early. I want you to be at your best for practice. I do not want to win without any effort. "

"Do not worry, Jamie. You will not. "

 

The Major squeezed his shoulder and pulled back then. James turned around and saw how Joey was groomed. Satisfied, he went to his quarters to follow the advice of his friend.

 

 

 

_"I just wanted to be your equal."_

_"This is madness."_

_"Is it madness? Is it? Is it? "_

_Cold. Why is it so cold? I do not want to be lonely. Please, do not leave me alone. Why did not anyone wanted to help me? Please do not hate me. Please hate me. I hate you. I do not hate you ..._

_  
_

Air! He needed air! Why could he not breathe? Was he falling again? No, he had to wake up. He had to breathe. He did not know where he was. The room was huge and covered with ice. To whom has he spoken to? James turned around and saw a blurry man standing on the other side of the room. Long blond hair blew in the cold wind. A red cape. He had to wake up. The air was so cold. What kind of dream was this? Why did he have the feeling that he knew everything here? Why did he feel himself drawn to this stranger? And then suddenly, the ground gave way under his feet and he fell again. Gasping for air, he woke up at last. His shirt was completely soaked and he was trembling all over. He could see his breath. Shocked, he looked at the window and through the moonlight he could see ice crystals, which were disappearing slowly. James did not understand the world anymore. Was he hallucinating while he was awake? Was he really awake? James pinched his arm and winced. He was definitely awake. Sadly, he could not afford the luxury of a hot bath at this moment, but at least he had to wash his face. He threw his blanket aside and before he could stand up properly, he lost his balance and stumbled a few steps forward. What was wrong with him? In order to reach the bowl of water, he leaned against the wall and slowly made his way to the small bathroom. Before he wet his hands, he took a glimpse of a vaguely mirror image of a stranger. Confused, he rubbed his eyes and looked again. This time, no black hair and green eyes were visible. This time, his hair was blond and his eyes blue again.

 

"Oh God, what's wrong with me? I do not understand any of this. "

 

James was washing his face and then pulled off his sweaty clothes. With a sponge he washed his body and quickly wrapped a towel around his waist. He slowly walked back into the room and dropped back onto his bed. He placed his hands on his face. James could not understand why he had all these dreams and why they occurred so often lately. The strange thing was that he seemed to know the person appearing in his dreams. Sighing, he grabbed his blanket and shook it quickly in the air before he covered himself with it. He was hoping that he would quickly fall asleep again for a few hours without dreaming.

 

 

 

"James, you have to wake up James. You do not have much time until the military training begins. James! "

"Hmm, what - Charlie. What are you doing here? "

"I missed you at breakfast. To win or to lose with an empty stomach is quite difficult. That's why I brought you something to eat. "

"Thank you. I never thought that I would oversleep. I had a pretty stressful night. "

"Hm, yes I can see that. Although I do not really know what exactly was so exhausting, but I hope the woman was pretty and did not let herself get caught. "

"Wha - what are you doing talking about, I -."

 

Charlie sat down on the desk and grinned to himself. James peeled off his blanket and stood up. At that moment he remembered the dream he had yesterday and what he had done after it. Slowly, he looked down his body and noticed that his towel had of course come loose during sleep and thus no longer hanging around his waist. James felt his face go hot. In order to conceal his embarrassment, he didn’t look the Lieutenant in the eye and turned to his closet to fetch some fresh clothes.

 

"Do not worry, I won’t tell anyone."

"Nothing happened! There is nothing you could tell anyone!"

"Yes I know, of course there was nothing. Hurry up and be relieved that I came to wake you and not Jamie."

 

Hastily James put on his uniform and while he was eating, he had to endure the quiet laughter and the staring of the Lieutenant. 

 

 

 

The attack resembled much more a race than an actual exercise. And, as James had already assumed, his new companion Joey was a very special horse. Even Jamie had to admit it sheepishly. Pleased, James stroked the neck of his horse. Although he was not quite fit and well rested, he could count on Joey's fighting spirit.


	3. Chapter 3

After lunch time, James went back into the common room. Without a second thought, he sat down at the desk, took out some paper, and began to draw. First, he thought of Albert. The boy had raised Joey to be such a fine horse. He wanted to write a letter to him with some sketches from Joey to show him how beautiful he still was. But after some sketching, his concentration wandered onto his nightly dreams. He tried to give the person with the blond hair and red cape a face. James was so absorbed in his drawings that he did not notice the major coming in. He poured himself a scotch and looked at James over his shoulder.

"What are you drawing?"

"Hm? Ah, Jamie, I did not know that you came in."

"I've noticed. Who is that? "

"I am plagued by strange dreams lately, and this person is always in it. At least, I think it is the same person. Strangely, I feel as though I know him somehow. "

"Dreams, I see. So they keep you awake at night? "

"What makes you think that they keep me awake?"

"James, I’m no fool. I've known you longer than ... than you think or remember. I can see if you are not feeling well. "

"Yes, you are right. Currently, I have been sleeping really lightly."

"Who does not? It is war, no one is sure if they are going wake up in the morning. "

"... Jamie."

"Tomorrow morning at four, we move out. Tell Perkins that he should prepare the horses. In addition, he should not polish the equipment. Nothing is allowed to sparkle in the sun; it would give out our position. "

"Jamie!"

The major downed his scotch and played with the empty glass in his hand a while. James did not like that Jamie was talking about tomorrow. The words sounded so final. In his heart, he knew that this moment would probably be the last personal conversation between the two friends.

"You know that I have never asked for it but maybe…now is a good time to do so. Jamie, would you tell me a little about my past? Is there anything that you might remember? "

"Well, what do you want to hear? Technically there is not much to tell. You have not really changed. You are still the quiet and introverted young man from back then, but - but if someone manages to tear down the wall which you hide yourself behind, they will be richly rewarded. "

James did not know how he should respond. He expected a lot but not something like that. Jamie tried to smile, but it was clear that he was uncomfortable. Neither of the men was able to resume the conversation. With slightly flushed cheeks, James lowered his head and tried to hide his embarrassment and began to draw again. Major Stewart put away his glass and nervously tapped his fingers on the desk.

"Did I ... Did I have any siblings?"

"As far as I know, no. Your parents died early. You told me that your uncle had taken care of you. You did not tell me much about your family. What little I know, you told me one evening in the pub. "

“The night that I allegedly had been drinking too much?"

"... Yes."

Oddly enough, James had always had the feeling that his friend had not told him everything about this unique event. Of course, James could remember nothing because of his amnesia, but he could make a good picture out of it. How could he not? A drunken man who allegedly danced on the table and sang loudly, one can imagine that well. Actually, James had hoped that Jamie might provide information about whether he had a brother or not. This familiar feeling in his dreams bothered him, especially the dreams in which the other man with the blond hair he was trying to draw appeared. While he made one sketch after another, he had mixed feelings. On one hand, he was yearning for something specific, but on the other, he was overcome by the feeling to tear apart his sketches. However, such a behavior would be, especially in the presence of his superior, very inappropriate. James never knew how to talk his way out of unpleasant situations. Without raising his head, he ventured a look at Jamie. He was still tapping nervously on the desk, and it was the first time that James saw him chewing slightly on his bottom lip.

"Thank you Jamie."

"For what?"

"You were always there for me."

"Hmph. And you do not want me to talk about tomorrow's attack. "

"I'm sorry, I-"

Before James could say any more, Jamie turned to him, leaned down and gave him a kiss on the cheek. James blinked slowly and touched his cheek with his hand. This time he could not hide his embarrassment and stared his superior in the eye. Jamie leaned forward a second time. This time he tried to kiss James, but James evaded the kiss by turning his head to the side. Jamie sighed, stood up, and straightened his uniform.

"Please take care of yourself tomorrow, because I will not be able to protect you."

"..."

"When this is all over, I will buy you a beer in the pub you danced."

James wanted to say something, but suddenly Lieutenant Waverly came into the room. He welcomed the major, who just nodded his head, and without further word he left the two men. James had to swallow hard. He was indeed a simple and somewhat naive man, but he knew the meaning of Jamie’s actions very well. Nervously, he played with the pencil in his hand. Charlie looked at him in surprise, but did not ask him about the conversation James had with the major. Charlie sat in a chair and showed James his new hat. James took a deep breath and decided to forget the incident for now.

"I had to get a new cap. Silk, you see? Imagine a German soldier who is deciding which target he should shoot next. He will notice my stylish cap and think, ‘Hey, that’s a pretty good-looking cap. I think I should shoot someone else.’"

"Or rather he will think, ‘Hey, I like the cap very much. I'll shoot this soldier first and take it for myself.’"

"..."

Charlie took off his cap and threw it with a loud groan down in the corner. He chewed his nails nervously and then rose again. He picked up his cap from the floor, knocked the dust off, and put it on again. Then he nodded to James and hastily left the room. James stared for a while into the emptiness of the room. He was afraid of tomorrow. After Jamie had now also shown him his affection, the queasy feeling in his stomach only got worse. James rubbed his eyes and looked at his drawings. Before him, he saw a young man who could be a prince of a fairy tale. Suddenly, he wanted nothing more than to be taken away with this man to another better world. Hastily, he put the sketches in his portfolio, placed it in the desk, and made his way into his own room. Mitigating the thought of this dilemma, through a magical idea, calmed him somewhat.

 

The next morning, the sun rose blood red. The entire cavalry was already well on their way into French territory. At the last meeting, James, Charles, and Jamie barely spoke a word. For James it was now somewhat difficult to look his supervisor in the eyes, so he retreated quite quickly after the meeting. As he prepared Joey for the battle, he was curiously at peace. Maybe it was the brown stallion who calmed him down and took away some of his fears? James could not explain it, but in Joey's presence he felt good and could forget the reason why he had come to France for a moment. He gently stroked Joey's forehead and then trailed him properly. When he was done and wanted to take Joey to the others, he looked at the sky and noticed that on the horizon were some dark rain clouds, and he heard a low rumbling in the distance. James hoped the rain would begin after the attack. Then the red of the battle would be washed away...

To avoid being discovered by the German soldiers and to perfect their surprise attack, the company made their way into a field of tall grass. In light of the rising sun, the riders in the high reeds were barely visible. Joey shrugged nervously with his head, and James patted him gently to soothe him. He knew that his horse felt his fear but no matter he thought. He could not erase the fear from of his mind. He closed his eyes. The wind blowing softly on his face was warm and pleasant and somehow smelled familiar. When he opened his eyes, he saw a city wrapped in golden light and a bridge which shone in the most beautiful colors he had ever seen. James could not explain it, but strangely he was neither shocked nor confused. It felt so right, just like home. From a distance he could hear Jamie's voice. They rode off, and it began.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A thousand thank you's are going to skullsandjam.tumblr.com for beta-ing the story <3

Thor knew he was right at last. He could feel the aura of his brother in this world. Thor tried to fly faster. The feeling that something was not right did not leave him. After Thor had destroyed the Bifrost years ago, there was no way for him to look after his brother. Heimdall, however, had seen that the Tesseract had appeared in Midgard. The All-Father used dark magic to enhance his own powers and sent Thor back to Midgard in order to bring the Tesseract to Asgard. With its power, travels into other worlds would be possible again. While Odin was not entirely pleased with Thor's plans to look for his fallen brother, he did not forbid him to travel. As long as Thor was ready to return any time to Asgard, in the case the All-Father should fall back to his sleep, Odin gave him all the time that he wanted to waste for the search of his brother. Thor spent less than a year with the search in the different worlds that were accessible via the Tesseract, but he had no success.

In desperation, he turned to the Avengers and SHIELD with whom he had fought together to save Earth from an alien invasion. The only man who could offer real help was Tony Stark. Thor did not really know exactly what the Man of Steel told him; however, he seemed to build a machine which worked like the Bifrost. Thor realized very quickly that traveling with the contraption was more unstable and dangerous than travelling via the Tesseract. The archer, named Clint, gave Thor the strange name ‘divine guinea pig’. Thor took that as a compliment. After all, he was a divine being. In the free time between his travels, he got to know the Avengers better and thought of them as worthy warriors who fought at his side. About a year passed without success in his quest. Heimdall told him more often now that Odin increasingly demanded Thor's presence, and no longer believed that Loki was still alive. Thor did not want to hear this. One evening, Tony Stark came to his room and presented him a small device. With an enthusiastic grin on his face, he told the thunder god that he was now, with this little machine, in a position to effectively search for his brother. Thor again did not understand what the man was telling him, but nevertheless he was happy about what Tony Stark told him and hugged him while laughing loudly. Only two months had passed since then and Thor had, for the first time, the feeling that Loki was in this world. While the Tesseract mostly sent him to completely different worlds, this machine sent the thunder god only to Midgard. Like Tony Stark said, he was transported to various times in midgardian history. Now Thor found himself in the heat of a war again. Secretly, he hoped his brother would not participate in this unknown fight.

 

 

 

Everything happed incredibly fast. After the major had ordered the attack, the horses galloped wildly toward the unsuspecting German soldiers. James was in a trance. The fact that Joey was one of the fastest horses in the company brought him to the front of the attack. With his sword drawn James didn’t realize how many German soldiers he killed. In his mind, he still saw the golden city and felt the faster Joey galloped the closer he would come to the city. In reality, the whole company was now approaching a wooded area in order to chase the fleeing soldiers. But as they disappeared in the forest the tide changed, and the advantage which the English cavalry had suddenly vanished. Out of nowhere, there were loud shots and one British rider after another fell from his horse. Torn from his trance, James looked around him shocked. It was too late to order the withdrawal. James tried to find Jamie and Charlie in the heat of the battle, but he was unsuccessful. So it would end then, he had not even had the time to say a proper goodbye to his friends. Tears filled his eyes slowly. He regretted that he had taken Albert away his horse, that he had not gone drinking with Charlie again, and that he denied Jamie that kiss. Perhaps the golden city, which he had seen, was a sign for his death. Unintentionally, his lips formed a silent prayer in a language he had never heard before. Just before he reached the forest, he closed his eyes and wished that if he were to awaken to wake up in the golden city again.

 

 

"Good Heimdall can you see him? Am I in the right world? "

"... Yes, I see him."

"At last! I am- "

"You must hurry Thor. You do not have much time. He rides into the waiting arms of death. "

The joy that filled Thor's heart at first, changed and turned to fear. He had to hurry. And then finally, he saw warriors on horses as they galloped through a camp and the unprepared soldiers who lay dead on the ground. Thor remembered the words of Heimdall; Loki was riding towards death. That meant he was one of the warriors on horseback, but which one? The fleeing soldiers ran into the woods and Thor could see what the riders couldn’t, weapons. Loki, he had to find him before they reached the forest. Brother, where are you? Oh, how he would have liked to throw Mjolnir down and destroy all the enemies that could harm his brother, but Tony Stark had ‘ordered’ him not to intervene in ongoing events. His actions could otherwise have serious consequences for the course of history. Thor had made a promise him before he began his journey, and the god of thunder kept his promises as long as he was able to. Thor was a man of action and patience was not one of his strengths. With Mjolnir circling above him, he floated over the scene. He was about to throw his hammer when he saw a rider in the crowd who was surrounded by a slight magical aura. Loki! Thor grabbed Mjolnir and dived to the ground. The horse of his brother was fast and it would not be long until his brother was in the range of the hidden weapons. Shortly before an enemy soldier spotted Loki and was about to shoot, Thor grabbed him roughly by the collar and pulled him up into the air.

 

 

 

James, who had mentally prepared for his impending death, did not know what hit him. At first, he believed that he probably just died and his body had ascended to heaven. On the other hand, this idea was probably the stupidest and most illogical that he ever had. Then suddenly, he was hovering and before he could think of anything else, James was thrown into the air. To his surprise, a young man with blond hair caught him. James opened his mouth to speak, but no right words left his lips.

"Wha-I, you ... who?"

"Save your words for the time being Loki. I will first bring us to a safer place! "

James was too shocked to say anything.

 

During the flight, James tried to gather his thoughts. Until now he was near death, but he was saved by a man who surprisingly resembled the one in his dreams. Perhaps he really was dead? He shook his head and suddenly his mind was on someone else. Jamie! Wildly he tossed and squirrmed. The blond man tightened his grip on James hips.

"A little patience, Loki. Just a while longer and we will be out of danger. I can hardly wait to take you right into my arms! "

"Wha-no! Wait! We have to go back! Turn around or let me down! I must return! "

"To die? No, I do not think so! Do not be ridiculous. "

"I have to return! I cannot leave them alone! I must help them! Jamie, Jamie is still there! He will die if I do not help him! And all the soldiers! They all are going to die! "

"Calm down, Loki! How do you want to save them? It’s too late. "

"YOU can save them! You-you can fly to them! I do not know who you are and I do not know what you want from me, but I beg you, please save my friends! "

"Loki, forgive me, I cannot do that.  I have made a promise."

James was petrified. This man was flying through the air with him and claiming that he could not save his friends? James began to squirm again and this time so fiercely, that the stranger had no other choice but to land. When they touched the ground safely, James freed himself from the grip of the man and ran back in the direction from which they came. His thoughts turned to Jamie, and even though James knew that he couldn’t do anything, he would not admit it. He had no right to live while the others rode to their death. He would have done the same if was not snatched from danger. James did not get far. The strength in his legs left him suddenly and he fell hard to the ground. He tried to get up and fell again. Something within him broke, and the tears finally flowed uncontrollably down his cheeks. He cursed his helplessness and slammed his fists into the ground. Again and again he struck the earth. Why was he the only one who was allowed to stay alive? Why just him?

 

 

 

Thor was overjoyed when he succeeded to rescue his brother from the battle, although in a very rough way. The young god of thunder had to act quickly. After he had brought them both to a safe altitude, Thor threw his brother up for a short time in order to get a better hold on him. He longed to pull his brother close to tell him the stories of his travels and that he had always believed that he was still alive. But now, it was important to bring them both to safety. Thor tightened his grip on Loki's hips, so as not to lose him again and flew away. He caught himself looking down again and again to look at his brother. He appeared so different but then again so familiar. Thor recognized Loki’s facial features, and to his surprise he liked the blond hair. Thor smiled, they were reunited. Thor was suddenly torn from his thoughts as Loki began to squirm and wriggle wildly with his arms. Thor had to be careful so as not to drop Loki. He tried to reassure him, but Loki wanted to return to the battlefield and the reason was - Jamie? His brother used his careless moment, to loose himself from Thor's vice-like grip. Thor had no choice but to descend. Loki would have otherwise fallen and injured himself. Thor tried to land as gently as possible. The moment their feet touched the ground, Loki tore himself loose and ran back in the direction from which they came. Thor called out to him, but he ignored him. He could not fathom what was making his brother was react like this? Was he not as happy about their reunion as he was? Thor saw his brother fall to the ground and fail to stand up on his own. Like a mad man he mashed his fists into the ground. Thor ran to his brother and knelt down beside him.

"Loki, brother, what is the matter? Please calm down. "

"Calm down, CALM DOWN? My friends are all dead! I was with them now until now! I should have never left their side! I-”

"LOKI! Calm down! This is not you! This ... this is not YOUR life. You are Loki, Odin's son and my brother! Do you not remember me? It's me! Please, calm yourself. "

"My ... my what?"

Thor helped his brother to his feet again and drew him into a long-awaited embrace. Years he had waited, and finally Loki was again by his side. He placed a soft kiss on his head.

 

James could not move. He was numb with shock. He was not able to arrange his feelings and his thoughts. It was not until now that he was saved by a flying man who didn’t seem to be a part of his world. And now this strange, and to James’ shock, so familiar man told him that they were brothers? The tears did not stop flowing. Oddly enough, James felt comfortable and secure in the embrace of the stranger. His exhaustion gained the upper hand and James fainted.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay, but I'm kinda drawing a lot in my free time right now (you can see my stuff @my tumblr: feylen.tumblr.com) and I'm also still writing on chapter 6 x_x I hope that I will finish it soon~
> 
> A thousand thank you's are going to skullsandjam.tumblr.com for beta-ing the story <3

Thor quickly found a more secluded and quiet location. After he landed, he lay his brother onto the soft grass and gently stroked his blond hair. He imagined their reunion entirely different. To make it more comfortable to his brother, he undid his belt and after that his uniform. Fortunately, he once had watched Tony Stark wearing this. What was it called it again? Tie? He also saw how to unbind it. Without this knowledge, he would have made breathing for his brother a little harder. Thor took the piece of cloth and went to a nearby creek. The sun was just at the highest. Although it was not hot, Thor wanted to be cautious and dipped the tie into the cool water. Of course, he had not hoped that Loki would welcome him with open arms, but now he seemed to remember…nothing. Sighing, he went back to his brother and sat down beside him on the grass. He wiped the wet tie lightly over his brother’s face to cool it a bit and then laid it on Loki’s forhead. Thor could not help but to question himself. What if he had been mistaken and this man was not his brother? He shook his head. No, he could not have been wrong. Thor lied down beside his brother and closed his eyes. A smile began to spread across his face. The smell of the grass and the gentle sound of the river reminded him of his youth.

 

_“Hey! Wake up you big oaf! Look what I found. Come on, sleep is for the weak. “_

_“Let me rest some more, Loki. While you spent your time again in the library, I had to train the entire day. I am completely done with today. “_

_“That’s not my fault if you get beaten up so much.”_

_“Lo-LOKI! That’s not true at all! “_

_In an instant, Thor put his hand to his forehead. His younger brother had gotten him from lying in the grass to sitting straight and doing exactly what Loki has wanted him to do. This put a grin on Loki’s face as he showed him a book he had with him. It was always like this. Thor had spent most of his time trying to learn the art of combat since he was 12 years old.  Loki contented himself with watching his big brother training, or he spent his time with books in the grand library. While Odin had decided that both were taught in the art of combat and war, Thor had the feeling that his father was rather lenient with Loki. However, this had never been a reason for dispute. For Thor, it was obvious that his younger brother, due to his somewhat slighter physique, was just not born to fight and simply had other talents. Loki eagerly leafed through the book, which looking rather old, and clucked his tongue as he had found the right page._

_“And what exactly do you want to show me that you cannot wait until tonight?”_

_“I do realize that you do not read much, but you can just look at the pictures for now.”_

_“Do not be so cheeky!”_

_“I know exactly how you stare at Sif while exercising or during the banquets! I thought that you would be pleased when told you that I could make a love potion for you? “_

_“Oh, Loki! What are you imagining again! On the contrary, I do not desire Sif. “_

_“You don’t need to deny it in front of me. I know it is true. “_

_“Hmm, and why are you so sure my little brother?”_

_“Because I watch you all the time!”_

_This time it was Loki who was actually fooled by Thor. When he realized that he had slipped up, he buried his face into the now very interested book in order to hide his flushed cheeks. Thor laughed softly. For Loki, the talk of a love potion was just an excuse to attract the attention of his brother. The two brothers often teased each other and rather spent as much time together as they could until recently. Loki felt uncomfortable in the company of the Warriors Three, and he particularly did not like Sif’s company. He had always felt that she would watch him and never let him out of sight. TO remedy this, he withdrew to the library and lost himself in the books there. If he spent time with them, he always saw that Thor was very interested in the young woman._

_“You do not need to be jealous Loki. I am just very impressed by her. She is a woman, but she can fight like a man. Maybe she is not as strong as one, but she is agile and fast. I admire her skill. “_

_“Your words do not make it better you moron. You are mad about her. “_

_“Think what you want, but I do not need such a potion. “_

_After Thor had spoken, he took his brother into his arms and kissed him gently on the forehead. He lied down with Loki in the grass. Loki lay with his head on Thor’s chest and sighed loudly._

_“I can hear your heart beating.”_

_“It beats for you.”_

_“Do not talk such nonsense.”_

_Loki was red in the face and was glad that Thor could not see him like that. Thor laughed again at Loki’s words and began to tell him of his day. Loki closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment. Only now he realized how fresh and pleasant the smell of the green grass was._

James lazily opened his eyes. He couldn’t remember having such a dream. Slowly, he put a hand on his beating heart and the other on his forehead. He lifted the little wet cloth from his forehead and looked up sleepily. After he had gathered his thoughts, he was suddenly alert and sat up. Where was he? How long did he sleep? He looked around and saw the blond man dozing next to him. James remembered the dream he had just before waking up. Thor, his name was Thor and he looked exactly as he had drawn him yesterday. Also, he had called him Loki …? James shook his head. He could not remember anything. He tried to listen for any more gunshots or screams to be heard in the distance, but he could not hear anything. It was over. He could not prevent the tears filling his eyes again. Silently, he thought of Jamie, Charlie, his soldiers, and Joey. He hoped that they all would forgive him for not dying with them today. Lost in thoughts, James did not notice that the blond man had woken up and was looking at him.

“How are you brother?”

“Ah - I …”

“Please forgive me. Your friends, I - I have sworn not to interfere. You probably will not believe me when I tell you my – our story? “

“I - please excuse me, but I think I just cannot think clearly now. I should be dead now and I’m not. I was just flying through the air and somehow I feel that I know you, but I do not know why and … “

“Loki, my brother. I am so glad I have finally found you. “

Thor reached out and brushed a strand of blond hair behind his ear. He was not used to seeing Loki so confused and somewhat the look amused him a little. Carefully, he sat down and slid a little closer to his brother. The longer he looked at him, the better he liked the short blond hair.

“You say that I am your brother.”

“That is correct.”

“I - I’m sorry, I cannot I – unfortunately I can’t remember you.”

“You need not apologize, Loki. It is likely that your memory suffered after you fall from the bridge. Father was convinced that you were dead already, but I could not believe it. I knew that you were still alive. I have never doubted it.”

“In my dreams, I often was … just falling. Maybe I am dreaming this even now? “

“Be assured, this is no dream. Once you recover your strength, we will return to our time. Asgard is where we belong and our home. I cannot wait to see the astonished faces of our parents. Mother missed you. We all have missed you. “

James did not know why, but for some reason he could not bring himself to believe Thor. He tried, but deep in his heart he felt a painful sting. Did they really have common parents? Did they share a common childhood? James sighed. He could not help but feel attracted to Thor, and this feeling was a strong one. They both had blond hair and blue eyes. Maybe they were brothers. Maybe that was the reason for James’ amnesia. The more James looked for a plausible explanation, the more he confused himself. He watched Thor’s smiling face.

“Then, let’s go.”


End file.
